Liverpool Vs Real Madrid
With the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final set to be contested between Real Madrid and Liverpool, both clubs’ route to the last saw talents like Karim Benzema take centre stage. At the same time, Liverpool dominated Villarreal to get to the final in Paris.
As they prepare for a rematch of the 2017-18 UCL final, here’s a look at the two teams in terms of stats and statistics.
LIVERPOOL (ENG)
So Far, The Campaign.
Liverpool has faced tough opposition thus far, making their near-perfect record all the more impressive: 12 games and only one loss in the round of the 16-second leg against Inter. Only the Nerazzurri concerned Klopp’s team until a nerve-wracking first half in the second leg of their semi-final against Villarreal. On the other hand, the Reds’ response constituted a message in and of itself.
How They Perform
Klopp seldom deviates from his tried-and-true 4-3-3 style, which has suited Liverpool admirably since the German took over in 2015. Their high-intensity pressing has been honed in recent seasons – thanks to clever recruits like Diogo Jota and Luis Daz – but it remains just as effective. They are perhaps Europe’s best side when they are at their peak.
UFA Ranking: 2
European Cup best: champions (1976/77, 1977/78, 1980/81, 1983/84, 2004/05, 2018/19) UEFA ranking: 2
Quarter-finals the previous season (L 1-3 agg vs. Real Madrid)
Last season’s final: 2018/19 (W 2-0 vs. Tottenham)
This Season
Record: W10 D1 L1 F30 A13
Top scorer: Mohamed Salah (8)
Semi-finals: 5-2 agg vs Villarreal
Quarter-finals: 6-4 agg vs Benfica
Round of 16: 2-1 agg vs. Inter
Group B: winners
Mohamed Salah Is A Key Player.
Since joining Liverpool from Roma in 2017, the Egypt forward has become the face of the club. He was a standout at Basel before joining Chelsea in 2014. He has established himself as a significant talent on Merseyside. His quickness, cleverness, and finishing helped him score 33 Champions League goals for the club.
Jürgen Klopp, Head Coach
Klopp has been Liverpool’s manager since 2015, leading the Reds to European triumph in 2018/19 and their first English crown in 30 years the following season. Klopp’s time at Borussia Dortmund between 2008 and 2015 shaped him into the man, manager, and entertainer he is today. While his Liverpool side in the English Premier League is currently playing some of the most exciting football in Europe, it is no doubt that his time at Borussia Dortmund between 2008 and 2015 that shaped him into the man, manager and entertainer Klopp is today. He was a striker turned defender at Mainz before joining Dortmund and winning two Bundesliga titles.
Will They Win It?
All of Liverpool’s goals on their way to the Champions League final and why they think they can win it. The prominent resemblance to Liverpool’s Champions League-winning season is that they are pursuing a surging Manchester City. Having such a target always brings out the best in Jürgen Klopp’s club. Liverpool’s march to Paris seems to be more assured. They won all six games in a challenging group (never previously had a Premier League club done so). Their dominant first-leg performances against Inter Milan and Benfica ensured that any second-leg wobbles at Anfield never bothered them. Indeed, they appeared rattled only when Villarreal tied the semi-final aggregate score at 2-2. Klopp’s side rebounded with a 3-2 victory and a 5-2 series triumph. It’s difficult to see anyone coping with them when they’re in peak form, and everything works in perfect unison.
MADRID IN REALITY (ESP)
So Far, The Campaign.
How can it lose to Sheriff at home and reach the final with tremendous performances against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Manchester City? The route map clarifies everything. According to their own admission, Madrid won nothing last season and was eager for trophies at home and in Europe this season. Madrid’s GPS was reset after a 5-0 away win against Shakhtar in the group stage. The defeat in Paris had a similar effect, leading to a new high-pressing strategy that paid well at Stamford Bridge. Then, as newly crowned Spanish champions, they outperformed those efforts in that difficult-to-understand draw versus City.
How They Perform
Madrid has a solid core, starting with Thibaut Courtois and going through centre-back Éder Milito to the veteran midfield three of Casemiro, Modri, and Kroos, all of whom have the technical talent, vision, and experience to play in a 4-3-3 formation. Then there’s the in-form Benzema upfront, a master of the centre-forward position. They also have the vitality of younger players like Vincius Jnior and Federico Valverde and the intangible know-how that pulls them out of tight situations.
UEFA Ranking: 5
Winners of the European Cup (1955/56, 1956/57, 1957/58, 1958/59, 1959/60, 1965/66, 1997/98, 1999/2000, 2001/02, 20013/14, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18).
Semi-finals last season (L 1-3 agg vs. Chelsea)
2017/18 season final (W 3-1 vs. Liverpool)
This Season
Record: W8 D0 L4 F28 A14
Top scorer: Karim Benzema (15)
Semi-finals: 6-5 agg vs. Man. City
Quarter-finals: 5-4 agg vs. Chelsea
Round of 16: 3-2 agg vs. Paris
Group D: winners
Karim Benzema Is A Key Player.
When Cristiano Ronaldo departed Real Madrid in 2018, many people worried about where the club’s goals would come from. Still, France forward has more than stepped up to the plate to become the club’s talisman. He scored the 1,000th European Cup goal against Shakhtar earlier this season, then turned around Madrid’s last-16 encounter with Paris with a second-half hat-trick before scoring the game-winning goal against the Blues. His Panenka versus City was nearly unbelievable, and he was unflappable in return for bringing his team to the showpiece.
Carlo Ancelotti, Head Coach
Carlo Ancelotti has stated that he intends to retire once his current position as coach of Real Madrid expires, but a future possibility to manage the Canadian men’s national team may entice him.
This year, Real Madrid won LaLiga, becoming Ancelotti the first coach in history to win trophies in all five European leagues. And the Italian, who joined Real Madrid after leaving Everton last summer, declared that this would be his final position.
Why They Can Win It
Nothing is beyond them if they can turn around that historic tie against Manchester City, having already astonished Paris and withstood an onslaught from holders Chelsea. Madrid’s path to the final was unquestionably the most exciting — the comeback against PSG, the miraculous healing against Chelsea, the frenzied finish to the City match — but it also exposed their flaws. Personal inspiration and sheer willpower seemed to carry them through those rounds rather than meticulously crafted game strategies. Who would dare to rule out the 13-time winner doing what he does best, with Vinicus Jnior giving sparkling assistance and the legendary Toni Kroos and Luka Modri pulling the strings?
When And Where Will The Champions League Final Be Held?
The 2022 Champions League final will be contested on Saturday, May 28, at the Stade de France in Paris. When Russia invaded Ukraine, UEFA decided to postpone the competition, which was to be held in the Gazprom Arena in Saint Petersburg.
Since 2006, France has not hosted a UEFA Champions League final.
The game will begin at 8 p.m. in the United Kingdom. If required, extra time will be played, and sides will be able to make up to twelve substitutions, with a maximum of three if the game lasts more than 90 minutes.
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